3 comments:

Hi Tony, I'm a garden design student at Regent's Park (and a keen bird watcher). We're doing a project redesigning the island in Queen Mary Gardens and I'm intending to make my redesign based around creating a habitat for wildlife - especially birds and butterflies. Are there any particular species of interest you've seen around this area so I can try and suit my design to the wildlife which might use the island? Thanks very much, Nic Wilson

The island is such a public place attracting species to it is a tough ask. When I had the waterfowl breeding there the island was closed to the public during the breeding season. Attracting any birds birds to come and breed on it I think wouldn't work. If I were you I would look at planting species of plants that are native and attractive insect's. The flower beds in most of the park are practically devoid of insects. One of my best memories was visiting a cottage style garden at Pensthorpe Waterfowl Centre that had so many species of invertebrates from butterflies to hoverflies.

The island is such a public place attracting species to it is a tough ask. When I had the waterfowl breeding there the island was closed to the public during the breeding season. Attracting any birds birds to come and breed on it I think wouldn't work. If I were you I would look at planting species of plants that are native and attractive insect's. The flower beds in most of the park are practically devoid of insects. One of my best memories was visiting a cottage style garden at Pensthorpe Waterfowl Centre that had so many species of invertebrates from butterflies to hoverflies.